Kyoto’s Cantonese Cuisine – “Take Xiang” at Gion Shinbashi Tamotoko is elegant, gentle, light and delicious.

Founded in 1966, the first generation trained at Fuyouen, a long-established Cantonese restaurant, and became independent.
The restaurant has become a popular destination for geisha and maiko from the Gion area, as well as for people related to ochaya (teahouse).

An old friend of mine told me about machi-chuka restaurants in Kyoto. I visited Takeka again this time, this time near the Hanamachi district of Gion, which she said had been a favorite of hers since her mother’s time.

Whatever we ordered, including their specialties such as “sweet and sour dumplings,” “spring rolls,” “lettuce wraps,” and “yakimeshi (grilled rice)” were… truly delicious!

Machinuka in Kyoto is a place where you can enjoy a variety of dishes.

Kyoto’s machinuka often use “ankake”, “kashiwa (chicken)”, and “tamago (egg)”…

Behind this, Gods and Buddha have permeated people’s daily lives, and they avoid strong smells such as [garlic], [chives], [green onions], and [ginger].

Therefore, even gei-maiko in the colorful town of Kyoto can eat them without worrying about the smell…

Chicken” is also preferred over “pork” and “beef” in Machinuka.

At Chikka, you can enjoy the clear and glossy “suubuta” and “sweet and sour dumplings,” as well as “harumaki,” which is a dish of bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, and other ingredients wrapped in egg-filled skin, all with a gentle, elegant, and light taste!

However, reservations are not accepted except for the banquet course on the second floor, and when ordering these a la carte dishes, the restaurant is always packed with locals, who often write down their names and wait their turn in front of the restaurant….

This waiting time is also fun…

When you come to Kyoto, you should definitely try Chinese food in addition to Kyoto cuisine and obanzai dishes.